Cycle of Our Souls: Heart of Ice
by Moon Raven2
Summary: It's Amy's turn to fall in love... but Amy has never been one to easily follow her heart. Will the Cycle be complete in time to save Serena? Final episode, Cycle of Our Souls. COMPLETE
1. Heart of Ice 1

Cycle of Our Souls: Heart of Ice  
Part I

Moon Raven

aka, M is for Mars

* * *

Disclaimer(s) and my always long-winded notes:  
Hmmm... last time I checked I didn't own Sailor Moon. I'd check again, but I'm sure I still don't. Oh well. 

For those of you who may be starting the "Cycle of Our Souls" series here, you're gonna be kinda confused. The order is "Cycle of Our Souls: Heart's Fire" (known just as "Cycle of Our Souls" on ASMR), "Heart's Love" and then "Heart's Thunder". The text between lines of "---asterisk---" symbols is Amy's thoughts in the present, somewhere between SMR and SMS; the text between "-" symbols is Silver Millennium stuff; and anything else is just regular ol' narrative that takes place a few weeks in the past.

Please review me!

Have fun!

* * *

The young man awoke with a gasp, the power of the dream grabbing him in the guts and twisting painfully. His blond curls were plastered against his skin, damp with sweat. His breath came in pants, and he sat up, throwing the covers aside desperately. What the hell...? Lately he'd been having strange, mind-bending dreams of a place that seemed familiar but wasn't... but never had he dreamt of sitting beside the fountain at Juuban park giving some guy relationship advice. 

His own words in the dream echoed around inside his skull: "The princess will die... what will become of the prince? Of Small Lady? Of Crystal Tokyo?" He had no idea what he had meant, but vague memories from past dreams brought the image of a blond girl with a strange hairstyle to mind. He shook his head and stood up, heading to the bathroom.

He flipped on the light, blinking hard in the sudden glare, and turned on the tap to splash cold water on his face. He rubbed hands across tired, bloodshot eyes and stared at his reflection in the mirror. A girl with indigo eyes and hair only a shade or so paler seemed to stare back at him, and he blinked again. The image disappeared, but he knew it wouldn't stay away. Lately the girl had been everywhere he looked, and he had no idea why.

His head ached. Gods, he was going completely bonkers! Visions of blue-haired girls danced in his head... he smiled a little ruefully, remembering that as a child the idea of frolicking sugarplums had been terrifying, and went into the kitchen to grab something to eat. Perhaps a snack would settle his nerves a little, and he would be able to go back to sleep. Not likely, but there was always a chance.

He glanced out the window as he passed and saw that it was still dark outside -- or as dark as it ever got so close to downtown Tokyo - and wondered vaguely what time it was. A peek at his watch revealed that it was only a little after one. Hopefully the early hour would give him plenty of time to go back to sleep. Hopefully... but, once again, not likely.

The sudden ringing of the doorbell was nearly enough to send him into catatonic shock in his wired, frayed state. Now who the hell would be coming to visit him in the middle of the night! Ghosts, most likely... ghosts and goblins and ghouls. He shivered and hurried to answer the door.

A ghost was, in fact, waiting on the other side of the door for him, but not the type that was the spirit of the dead... no, this ghost was one from a dream. It was the blue-haired girl, and suddenly he felt as though he was going to be sick as he sank to the floor.

---insert line of asterisks here---

I really didn't mean to scare the poor man half to death. I was knee deep in a very complicated theorem when I realized I was out of coffee. It was late, of course, but I had heard him coming in far later than one thirty in the morning! He lived only a few doors down from me, so I figured he was the best one to ask.

When he opened the door, the first thing I noticed was how tired he looked. His eyes were bloodshot, his skin pale, his long, curly blond hair tangled. Then he looked at me - really _looked_ - and he nearly fainted. I could see it in the way his legs suddenly seemed unable to support him, the way he grabbed onto the doorjamb as though he were a drowning man and it, a life raft. His face turned several alarming shades ranging from chalky white to greenish gray.

I realized, rather incongruously, that under normal circumstances he would be quite beautiful. He was tall and slender, and the hands that gripped the doorjamb were elegantly formed, with long, sensitive fingers. (I always have noticed hands, capable hands, talented-looking hands... I guess it has something to do with wanting to be a doctor. A doctor must have good hands.) His eyes were bright green, the color of emeralds, and normally I'm sure they were quite alert and intelligent. Right then they just looked scared witless.

At the time I wondered what could possibly make a man so incredibly frightened of such a small, meek little thing as me. I know now, of course, but it would be quite a while before he would explain things to me. I have no idea why it never occurred to me that he, with his fey, angelic beauty, could possibly be the fourth. I guess it just wasn't something I wanted to deal with. I just wanted to get my coffee and go back to my own apartment. I wanted to finish the stupid theorem and go to bed and get up and go... to the temple... to Serena.

In that moment I saw in those wide, terrified green eyes a kinship between us. I saw that he feared sleep even as I did, only for different reasons. He was haunted by dreams... I was haunted by the morning to come, a morning that would bring more frustration and stupid, angry helplessness. I was supposed to be the "smart one," yet I couldn't find the solution to Serena's illness. Some connection was forged at that moment, and I knew it would take something pretty damn fierce to break it. I wonder if he felt it, too?

---insert line of asterisks here---

"Are you all right?" she asked in a sweet, lilting voice. It wasn't at all frightening, wasn't anywhere close to the angry roar he expected to emerge. Strange... why did he just assume that the girl would be out to hurt him, that his dreams were a warning?

He brushed blond curls from his eyes and stared up at her. She was very pretty... milk-pale skin, indigo eyes, short, thick, dark blue hair that curled around her face... "Hai, I'm fine. I didn't mean to startle you," he said quietly.

She knelt down next to him and pressed a small hand against his forehead. "You don't have a fever, but you look like you haven't slept in ages!" Her eyes widened and a blush tinged her cheeks. "Oh, gomen, how rude of me!" she gasped.

He smiled for what seemed like the first time in weeks. "It's ok. You're right, anyway. Bad dreams."

She nodded knowingly. "I don't sleep much either," she said in a soft, confiding tone. "Not because of dreams, but for... other reasons." She held out a hand to him. "Can I help you stand?"

He accepted and they both straightened up, but neither let go. "I'm Zachary Sorenson, by the way. I don't think we've ever met."

"No," she said in a wondering tone, "I don't believe we have. I'm Amy Anderson. I live a few doors down."

"Oh, right... your mom's a doctor, ne? I think I may've met her before. What are you doing up so late?"

She dropped his hand and stepped back quickly. "It's only a little after one! I was busy working on something and realized I was out of coffee. I thought I might be able to borrow some from you. I didn't mean to disturb you."

She turned to go, and he panicked. That wasn't his intention at all! _'What passion hangs these weights upon my tongue'!_ he quoted to himself in rueful desperation. "Amy-san, matte. I didn't mean to be so rude... I just don't have many visitors, and apparently all my manners have dissolved into a pool of goo. Please come in. I'll make you your coffee and... and... you can tell me about what you're working on so diligently."

She hesitated a moment. "You don't have to make it. That isn't necessary," she said at last.

He relaxed and a genuine smile graced his handsome features. "It's ok. If you have the time, I would like the company."

Charmed in spite of herself, she returned the smile with one of her own, and the true force of his beauty caressed her with its warm glow. She tried to ignore it, but not even Amy Anderson, girl genius, was immune to its power.

At that moment his thoughts were very similar to hers. _How could I have thought her some beast? She is like... like a goddess. No, nothing so grand; the comparison would make her blush; more like a sprite... a little water sprite._ That decided, he stepped out of the doorway and motioned for her to come inside.

* * *

Raye Hino opened her eyes and blinked twice, three times. A glance at her alarm clock told her it was nearly two in the morning. What had awoken her so suddenly? She sat up in bed, stretching her psychic senses to the limit, searching for the source of her abrupt unease. _Was this how it was for Serena when the Darkness came for her?_ she wondered suddenly, shivering. 

She closed her eyes and listened, and the usual night-sounds of the temple eased her mind a little. Still worried, though, she pulled herself out of bed and tiptoed through the shrine until she came to Serena's room. She pushed back the rice paper screen and knelt there a moment, looking at her unnaturally still friend with a deep sadness.

"Raye?" a soft, trembling voice said from behind her.

She whipped around, dark hair flying, and stared at the vision with wide, frightened eyes. "Kami-sama!" she murmured fervently.

"I'm so scared, Raye," the figure said, moving closer.

The miko jerked back. "Nai! What are you!" she cried.

"It's just me, Raye... just Serena. Please help me! I'm so scared... it's so cold... where am I?" The ghostly image of Serena leaned closer and said in a confiding whisper, "The fourth has been found, Raye. It's only a matter of time now. Tell Amy she must hurry! I'm dying... it's stealing my soul. I _need_ my soul, Raye!" she said, her voice suddenly high and childish.

"Oh, Serena," she murmured, her dark eyes filling with tears.

"Don't cry, Raye, please don't. Just tell Amy to hurry. Please hurry."

"Hai, Serena, I'll tell her. Just hang on, ok?"

She smiled waveringly, and after a moment the image began to fade. "I've gotta go now. If I'm discovered..." She shook her head quickly. "I'll see you soon, Raye, see you for _real_! Do me a favor though?"

"Anything!" she cried desperately.

"Go to the Crown and get a double chocolate milkshake with chocolate chips, a double bacon cheeseburger and a large order of fries? Oh... and maybe a large pepperoni pizza with extra cheese? I'm so _hungry_!" she said plaintively.

Raye didn't know whether to laugh or scream, and before she could make up her mind the image was gone. A slow grin began to spread across her pretty face, and for the first time since the mysterious force took a hold of their friend, Raye felt some hope. Maybe they could win after all. Maybe everything would work out just fine!

Whistling merrily, the dark-haired miko returned to bed and fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

* * *

"Amy! Hey, Amy!" she vaguely heard a voice calling from across the street. Shaking her head to clear it, the blue-haired girl waved to her friend as the tall brunette bounded across four lanes of traffic. "Are you ok, Amy?" she asked, concern etched in her emerald eyes. "I've been calling you forever! You seem pretty spaced out." 

"Spaced out?" she asked, her voice coming from someplace far away. "No... sorry. I guess I'm just tired. I didn't get much sleep last night."

"Worried about Serena?" Lita asked with an understanding smile.

Amy's small teeth clenched together at the mention of the name. "Hai," she answered shortly, though it wasn't the reason for her lack of sleep the night before.

Lita stared at her friend curiously, wondering what secrets were hiding behind those deep, pained indigo eyes. Violet smudges marred the pale skin beneath them, and the girl's mouth was weighed down with tired lines. But at the same time... "Ahhh!" she cried, suddenly stumbling upon the answer to this particular enigma. "You've met someone, haven't you!" she exclaimed, delighted.

"Nani!" Amy cried frantically, wondering how Lita could know about Zachary. Oh Gods oh Gods oh Gods oh Gods! No! Lita and the others could _not_ find out about him until... until when? Until... well, they just _couldn't_ find out! "Met someone?" She laughed nervously, reminding the dark-haired girl painfully of Serena, and said, "Where would you get that idea? I never meet anyone. All I do is study, remember?"

Grinning triumphantly, Lita knew she'd hit her mark. "Yeppers, you got allll the signs of a girl on her way to being in _love_! So what's his name, huh!"

"Being in love?" she echoed with a disdainful sniff. "Hardly, unless one can fall in love with theorems and sonnets. Though I do suppose the latter isn't too farfetched... and a good theorem can sometimes sound like poetry..." Lost in a daze of Shakespeare and Pythagoras, Amy wandered into the school building, not realizing that Lita was no longer at her side.

The brunette was standing on the steps of Juuban Junior High with her jaw hanging down almost to her shoes. _Good Gods, this is worse than I thought! Not only is she in love, she's a complete nutcase, too! This calls for some serious therapy... I wonder if I could talk her into blowing off class after lunch and hitting the arcade?_ She paused in her thoughts and shook her head slowly. _Now _I'm _sounding like the crazy one. _Amy _blow off school? Sure. She'll do it in order to go ice-skating in Hell with the rest of us!_

The blue-haired girl was standing in front of her locker changing shoes when Lita finally joined her. "I was thinking maybe this weekend we could get the guys and go to the park for a picnic. We haven't done that in ages."

"A picnic without Serena?" Lita said, wrinkling her nose in confusion.

Amy shrugged. "Maybe it would be good for us. It would get us away from the temple, ne? And maybe it would distract Darien for half a second... he's beginning to look worse than Death warmed over. I'm worried about his health, and he can't afford to let his grades slip, either."

"Ames, look, I'm gonna ask you one more time and I want a straight answer. What the hell is up with you! Talk to me, girl," she said, grabbing her friend by the shoulders and staring hard into her dark blue eyes.

"Lita! Let me go. Nothing's wrong!"

She said nothing, simply stared harder.

Amy let out a long sigh. "All right, all right. Last night I met someone. It's nothing like that, Lita! Calm down. He's just a nice guy. We talked for a while, and then I stayed up even later working on some stuff for class today. Does that make you happy?"

She let go and turned back to her own locker, pulling out her shoes with a thoughtful look. "What's this cutey's name, huh?" she asked at last, an irrepressible grin - or at least it had been irrepressible since a certain auburn-haired man made his entrance into her life - erupting on her pretty face.

Sighing again, Amy retrieved her school bag from the floor. "Zachary. He lives a few doors down from me. Now I'm going to class. Hurry up or you're going to be late."

Lita watched her go with a knowing grin, a sudden mischievous light sparking in her bright green eyes. Oh, Mina was gonna _love_ this!

---insert line of asterisks here---

I guess a picnic was a pretty dumb idea after all. Lita brought enough food for an army (or at least the one-woman eating machine known as Serena Tsukino, who, of course, was conspicuously absent), but no one ate much. No one talked much. No one laughed at all. It was more like a wake than a picnic, and I've never felt lonelier in my life - at least not since meeting Serena and the girls.

And it was awkward too; Darien was there alone because of Serena's illness, and it's like a half of him was missing. The others had their boyfriends and I was... alone. No half missing like Darien; just alone. I worry about all of it sometimes. Was Zoisite resurrected? If he was, is he good or evil? Will he still be in love with Malachite? And what if Malachy decides that Zoisite is the one for him after all? What will that do to Mina? What if I meet Zoisite and he's a big jerk? What if I don't meet Zoisite? Is he my soul mate? If I don't meet him, am I destined to spend the rest of my life alone?

I guess the others would say I worry a little too much, but I can't help it. They all have someone. Serena and Darien know they're going to be King and Queen of Crystal Tokyo... or they are if we can figure out how to help Serena. We have to have Zoisite to do that, don't we? So that means I have to meet him... but where? How? When? What if I pass him on the street every morning and don't even know it? It was pure chance that Mina and Malachy and Lita and Neil met... so what if fate isn't working in my favor the day I happen to be running late?

I've just got to stop thinking about it. It'll happen because these things happen. I should know that by now, shouldn't I? Who, after all, would have put our little group together? But here we are, bound together by ties of fate and destiny and power. All right, then... everything works out in the end. Somehow.

End I


	2. Heart of Ice 2

Cycle of Our Souls: Heart of Ice   
Part II 

Raven Moon 

* * *

More Breaking News from Disclaimer Land:   
I do not own Sailor Moon. I know this comes as a shock to all of you, but it's true. Sorry to disappoint everyone. :) 

Keep the feedback coming; it really does encourage me!! 

* * *

@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-   
Ami, Princess of Mercury and Senshi of Knowledge, stood before the mirror in her blue-toned bedroom and let out an exasperated sigh. "Why didn't I listen when Minako-chan told me to grow out my hair?" she demanded of the room in general. "What am I going to do with this mop?" She ran her hands through the thick, unruly blue waves of her hair and snorted in disgust. 

"It's hopeless," she decided, flopping down on the bed. "No men are worth this trouble, Earthlings or not. They're just going to have to deal with at least one senshi who is less than perfectly groomed." But then she thought of how beautiful and perfect the Venusian princess would look, and she jumped up to stand before the mirror once again. 

There was a knock on her door, and she recognized the pounding as belonging to no one but Makoto, Princess of Jupiter. "Coming!" she called, hurrying to hide the evidence of her vanity and rushing to join her impatient friend in the corridor. 

"At least one of us is on time!" the tall brunette said with a huff. "Neither Minako-chan nor Rei-chan are ready yet. Can you believe it? And Rei-chan going on and on about how she's just so _bored _with hearing of the Earthlings. Come _on_, Ami-chan, you walk too slowly!" 

She was practically running to keep up with the longer-legged girl, but she simply nodded and picked up the pace a bit. "Mako-chan, I really don't think we're going to be late," she ventured at last. 

"That's hardly the point. I want to be there ahead of time, don't you? It wouldn't be seemly to be seen rushing through the palace corridors as though we're actually looking _forward_ to meeting the Earthlings." 

Which, of course, is exactly what they were doing. Ami decided it wouldn't be prudent to point that out at the moment, so she clamped her mouth shut and listened as Makoto continued to harangue their fellow senshi for their complete lack of consideration and punctuality.   


* * *

_An angel. He's as beautiful as an angel._ It was an absurd thought, of course, but the only one in her head when she first laid eyes upon Zoisite, Prince Endymion's youngest general. Ami dipped her head, hoping that the heat she felt in her cheeks didn't display itself in a bright blush. She managed a decent curtsy, but was more than a little relieved when Queen Serenity suggested a walk through the grounds. She loved the cool serenity of the palace gardens almost as much as the warm, dusty silence of the library. 

Ami frowned slightly as she watched her friends pairing up with the Earthlings: the Prince and Princess, Minako and Lord Malachite, Makoto and Lord Nephrite, and, warily, Rei and Lord Jadeite. With a start she realized that the lovely Lord Zoisite was at her elbow, smiling down at her kindly. 

"You're Princess Ami, are you not? I've heard..." She was charmed by his blush, and smiled up at him encouragingly. "I've heard that you enjoy a challenging game of chess." 

"I've heard the same of you, Lord Zoisite. Would you care to play?" 

He grinned and nodded, his golden curls bouncing. "Most certainly, Lady Mercury." She accepted the arm her offered her, and they walked together in silence for a time. At last he said, "The Moon is more beautiful than I had imagined... as are her protectors." 

She opened her mouth to murmur something polite in reply when she caught sight of his shy smile. Why, he was flirting with her! She blushed deeply. "The beauty of the Moon is... is quite different from that of Earth, I understand," she managed at last, taking comfort in a cool, logical approach: compare local ecosystems. 

"Indeed," he agreed, his own tone becoming businesslike. "This is all sustained with Queen Serenity-sama's magic, is it not? On Earth we need no such magic to make the atmosphere hospitable to life." 

"You should visit Mercury sometime, Lord Zoisite. It is similar to Earth, as is Mars. Jupiter and the outer planets are very different indeed, and Venus is so very hot!" 

"And Mercury isn't?" he asked, amused. 

She smiled up at him sweetly, and he felt his heart skip a beat. "No, it isn't. We keep our planet cool and pleasant; the Venusians prefer hot and steamy. It's something I'll never understand." 

He cleared his throat, trying to keep his mind on the topic at hand and away from the depth of her dark blue eyes. "Your power involves water and ice, does it not? That's odd, considering your home planet is so close to the sun." 

"Mercury is a very aquatic planet; we enjoy the water. Oceans and lakes are plentiful, for all that the planet is so small. Our magic sustains it, as Queen Serenity-sama's sustains the Moon. I suppose you Earthlings are lucky in that you may enjoy your planet without having to worry about all the effort that goes into keeping it the way you like." 

He nodded slowly. "I suppose." 

"You sound doubtful, while just a moment before you seemed to look down upon our magic." 

"Oh no, Lady Mercury, not look down upon! It is impressive that Queen Serenity-sama and the rulers of each planet have such power. It's just that on Earth, our magic goes toward other things." 

"Mmmm," she murmured. "What, I wonder, since it's _our_ job to protect Earth?" 

"I fear I've angered you," he said, deflated. Would he never learn to say the right thing? Malachite-sama was always chiding him for his thoughtlessness, and now it seemed he had upset the lovely Princess of Mercury. "Please forgive me, Lady Ami." 

He sounded so sincerely contrite that it touched her heart. "There's nothing to forgive, Lord Zoisite. I'm afraid I must have misunderstood you; it is well known that Earth has looked upon the Moon with mistrust for many years, and it is my true wish that our relations with one another return to a state of harmony. I wouldn't want to risk that through a simple misunderstanding between you and I." 

Oh. She was thinking of only the diplomatic relations between Earth and the Moon. Well. Naturally; of course that's all she was thinking about, and it was all _he_ should be thinking about, as well. He bowed over her hand and pressed his lips lightly against her knuckles. "We forgive each other then?" he asked, looking up at her with bright, hopeful emerald eyes. 

Ami felt her heart catch in her throat as she looked down into those eyes. They were so... she bit back a sigh... so _beautiful_. She managed to smile lightly and say, "Of course we do, Lord Zoisite. Come; I believe you promised me a game of chess!" 

He straightened with a laugh. "I believe I did, Lady Mercury. Lead on!"   


* * *

"Do you believe in such things as curses, Ami-san?" Zoisite asked her, contemplating the chessboard with a frown before moving his knight. It was the third day of their visit to the Moon, and this was one of many chess games the two had shared. He felt sure he could trust her, but he knew he must tread carefully. 

"Curses?" She considered for a moment, capturing his knight with her bishop, and said, "I believe that it is belief in curses that gives them their power. The power of suggestion and all that... I believe in magic, of course, because I can see it for myself. But what power can a curse have unless there is someone to believe in it?" 

He returned the favor by taking her bishop with his queen. "Check. So if my fellow shitennou and I believed that there was a curse on our Prince, we would be the ones giving it power?" he asked carefully. 

She moved her king out of danger and met his emerald gaze with her indigo one. "Is there? A curse, I mean?" 

Zoisite picked up Ami's recently captured bishop and rubbed the smooth crystal piece as he carefully considered his answer. "There are many different types of curses, Lady Mercury. Perhaps this one is more... wishful thinking than anything else." 

"Wishful thinking on the part of whom?" she asked, careful to keep her voice cool and neutral. Whatever Zoisite had on his mind must be important, and she didn't want him dropping the issue before she knew everything there was to know. 

He positioned a rook and tucked a golden curl behind one ear. "You've heard of the Earth woman, Beryl? The one who's been causing such mischief of late?" 

"Indeed," Ami agreed, moving her knight to protect the king from the little obsidian castle. 

"Apparently," he said, studying the board intently, "she has some twisted desire for Endymion-sama. She has made it known that any bride he chooses shall meet with a terrible end. I'm not saying it's an actual _curse_ per se, but it is something to worry about, don't you think?" At last he raised his eyes to meet hers. "Check mate," he announced, knocking her remaining bishop aside with his queen. 

"Shimatta," she muttered before turning her attention back to Beryl. "And you are worried for Princess Serenity's health, I presume?" 

He shrugged easily. "It's no secret that my prince and your princess have grown close... I simply thought Princess Serenity-sama's senshi should be warned." 

She twirled his bothersome queen in one hand, unconsciously mimicking his earlier gesture with her bishop, and said thoughtfully, "I don't believe that this Beryl poses much of a threat to our kingdom. Surely you Earthlings can handle her, ne? Unless she finds some advantage that we haven't previously thought of, I think Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion-sama are perfectly safe."   
@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@- 

"Amy-san? Amy-san, are you all right?" a voice, accompanied by a light poke in the arm, said, pulling Amy from her sweet daydream. 

She blushed brightly and smiled up at the speaker. "I'm sorry, Zachary-san, I must have drifted off." What an idiot! Now he would think he was boring her... why couldn't she just keep her mind in the present, and not send it off gallivanting around in fantasy land? 

_It's his eyes,_ a bothersome little voice whispered; _who could concentrate with those eyes staring down at you, all cool and green?_ She ruthlessly silenced the voice and met his gaze as neutrally as possible.   
"Perhaps you could go over it again? I didn't sleep much last night, I guess." 

"Maybe we should take a break for now," he suggested, meeting her smile with one of his own. "You do look pretty tired," he observed, reaching out and brushing her thick blue bangs away from her forehead. 

The feel of his cool fingertips against her skin caused the blush to deepen. What was he saying? Something about a break? Yes, a break would be heavenly... but not as heavenly as a kiss... one small, sweet little kiss... Amy shook her head violently and returned to reality with a crash. "I'm sorry, Zachary-san, but I should go. I have a busy day tomorrow and..." She trailed off, unsure how to continue, and instead busied herself with gathering her things. 

"Matte," he said softly, catching one of her small hands in his own. "Please don't go yet, Amy-san. Have I ever told you how much I enjoy our time together?" 

His voice was soft, melodious, and she fought the urge to close her eyes and drown in the sound. "I enjoy it as well, Zachary-san; it's nice to meet someone who shares my interest in academics." 

Academics? Was that the only reason she came, for dissecting theorems and sonnets? He'd much rather compose a sonnet to her... Suddenly he chuckled aloud, and she glanced up sharply. "Oh, I'm not laughing at you!" he said hastily, reading her pained expression easily. "Something just popped into my head... are you familiar with _As You Like It_?" 

"Vaguely, yes. I prefer the tragedies, though I suppose they're just as silly in their own way. Why do you ask?" Her indigo eyes were wary, and he tried to set her at ease with a smile. 

"'Then comes the lover, with sighs like a furnace and a woeful ballad made to his mistress'... eyebrow,'" he quoted. "You see, I was thinking of composing a sonnet to you, my little water sprite, but then I got stymied by what feature I would pick to extol the most." 

Her eyes widened and a pink tinge crept over her pale skin. 

"Ah, there you are," he said softly, brushing a finger down her cheek. "You prove my point exactly with your lovely dark eyes, such a contrast to your pale skin. But then there's your remarkable hair, such an unusual color, and so thick and soft." 

She made a face. "It's too short. All my friends have lovely long hair, and I have a boy's style." 

"It suits you. Too much hair would overpower your delicate features." He leaned in close, and she could feel his breath brush across her cheek as he whispered, "May I kiss you, Amy?" 

The words stunned her, and she sat rigid and still for a long moment. "I--" she began helplessly. 

"Shhh," he murmured, cupping her cheek with an elegant hand. "Please... just let me..." He touched his mouth to hers softly, like the brush of butterfly wings, then did it again and again, until her lips felt warm and lusciously soft. He pulled away and delighted for a moment in the heavy, liquid darkness of her eyes and heated flush of her skin. She smiled a little, shyly, and it was all the encouragement he needed. 

Amy felt her body melt into his as he pulled her to him. Her arms came up and she felt her fingers tangle themselves in his golden curls almost of their own volition. Their mouths met again, but this time she was kissing just as much as he was. His tongue brushed against hers, and she tried to gasp before realizing that she couldn't; the kiss had robbed her of breath, but she didn't care at all. 

Abruptly he pulled his lips from hers and pressed his forehead against the side of her throat. His arms were tight around her waist, and she ran gentle hands through his hair. His breath was coming in short, panting gasps, and she flushed at the feel of his mouth against the skin below her ear. "You're so beautiful, Amy," he breathed, "so sweet and so smart. You're everything I've always wanted... do you understand?" 

Her heart froze at these words, and she realized suddenly what was happening. Oh Gods, she had let him _kiss_ her! Had she lost her mind? Hastily she pushed him away. "I -- I have to go, Zachary-san. Gomen nasai," she said quickly, jumping up and grabbing her things. 

"Amy, wait, please!" he called, but she was already gone. "Damn," he muttered, throwing himself back down onto the couch. How could he have been such a fool? Amy was clearly not the type of girl who could be rushed into anything, and here he'd practically dragged her down on the floor and raped her! He'd acted like a Neanderthal; no wonder she'd gone running. 

Zachary let out a long sigh, wondering dejectedly how he was going to manage to extricate himself from this particular mess. 

*******************************   
I'm a total idiot. For all that my IQ is through the roof and my test scores are the top of the class, I'm a complete moron. Why in the world did I run from him? The kiss was fabulous, amazing, more wonderful that I thought a kiss could be, and then he all but tells me he's in love with me, and I run! Really smooth, Amy! Let's go over a very basic rule of thumb: when a gorgeous guy kisses you and whispers fabulously sweet things into your ear, you _do not _react by running away! 

But what else could I do? I panicked. I'm not the type of girl a guy like Zachary Sorenson needs. I'm too quiet and shy, and not nearly pretty enough. He needs someone strong and beautiful... someone like any one of my friends. But he said I was all that he wanted... 

It was something he just said in the heat of the moment, that's all. He was caught up in the kiss and he just blurted out words he didn't mean. A man will say practically anything to get a woman into bed, right? But... Zachary didn't seem like that sort of man. Who am I kidding? I hardly knew Zachary at all, and he hardly knew me! How could he know that I was what he wanted when he didn't even know me... or that I'm Sailor Mercury? 

Relationships are more difficult than they have a right to be. Why can't things just be _simple_? Boy and girl meet, fall in love, live happily ever after. I wish I believed in happy endings anymore. And I wish I knew then what I know now.   
******************************* 

End II 


	3. Heart of Ice 3

Cycle of Our Souls: Heart of Ice   
Part III 

Raven Moon 

* * *

Even More Breaking News from Disclaimer Land:   
I continue to not own Sailor Moon. I know this comes as a shock to all of you, but it's true. Sorry to disappoint everyone. :) 

So I finally use the song in this section. It is, as I said before, by those adorable twins Evan and Jaron Lowenstein, and I would never try to steal their song. Actually, this _particular_ song is by Evan. No infringement is intended. Sorry, boys. :) Oh, the song lyrics are in _italics_ to help you out. 

Let's get on with things...review if you like it... or even if you hate it.   


* * *

Amy stared down at her comatose friend with a deep frown. The mysterious force that took Serena from them had struck nearly two months ago, and it seemed that they were no closer to finding a solution than they had been the night it happened, and Raye reported the frightening news that Serena's consciousness was slipping further and further away with each passing day. 

But what could they _do_? Ideas had been discussed, suggestions ranging from the only slightly plausible to the downright absurd. Amy felt helpless, and she knew she wasn't alone. Each senshi, Darien and the three resurrected shitennou felt responsible for the girl, but none more so than the Senshi of Knowledge. It was her job to solve problems such as this, and she had thus far been completely ineffectual. 

The blue-haired girl let out a long sigh and closed her eyes in an attempt to relax. She shifted to a more comfortable kneeling position, and just as she felt the tension in her shoulders begin to drain away, her meditation was interrupted by the sound of a rice paper screen being slid open. 

Her eyelids popped open in irritation, but sharp words died in her throat at the sight of Zachary Sorenson kneeling across from her. It had been three days since their last -- and, in her opinion, disastrous -- meeting, and she hadn't seen or spoken to him since. He had left several messages on her answering machine, but she'd erased them, figuring that eventually he'd get over it and move on. Apparently she'd been wrong, and that knowledge threw her for more of a loop than his sudden appearance had done. 

"What are you doing here?" she managed at last. 

"Hello to you too. Good to see you're still among the living." He winced at the sharpness in his voice, but something about the look on her face just set him on edge. Why hadn't she returned any of his calls? Why was she looking at him like he was Public Enemy Number One? Had he really screwed up that badly? 

"That isn't funny," she said icily, glancing down at Serena's prone form. 

He followed her gaze and seemed to notice the girl for the first time. "What's wrong with her?" he asked softly, his irritation momentarily forgotten. 

She shrugged restlessly. "Nothing physical. She's been like this for a couple of months now; we can't figure out how to bring her back." Somehow saying the words aloud gave them more meaning, more finality, and Amy felt her throat go raw. 

"Gods, Amy, I'm sorry. Why isn't she in a hospital?" 

"She belongs here, with us. We're the only ones who can help her." 

It was a decidedly odd thing to say, but he only nodded. There was something different about Amy -- he'd always been able to sense it -- and he had felt something similar coming from the raven-haired miko he'd spoken to outside; the tiny blond laid out before him radiated the mysterious quality in great, shining waves. "What do her parents say about all of this?" 

"They don't exactly know," she admitted reluctantly, a flush coming to her cheeks. 

"Their daughter has been in a coma for two months and they don't know?" 

She shifted uncomfortably and wouldn't mean his gaze. "Well… we kind of have them, er, _convinced _that she's in a sort of study abroad program. They think she's in England. Our friend Mina used to live there, so she's been sending letters we've forged in Serena's hand to a friend, and they've been sending them to her parents for us." 

He cocked a golden brow and studied her face carefully. "Why do I think there's more to this than you're telling me?" 

At last she looked him straight in the eye. "Because there is. But I can't tell you, so don't ask." 

A long silence followed until at last he said, "Would you walk with me?" 

She glanced up at him with a frown, but his expression was innocent and serene, and she felt herself relax. "All right. I suppose a walk would be nice." 

Raye was sweeping the first of autumn's leaves from the temple steps when they emerged. She shot Amy an encouraging grin before disappearing inside the small building, leaving the two alone with the sound of the small radio she had playing to help the work go faster. 

"It's a beautiful day," Zachary remarked. Though the words sounded rather trite to him, they were certainly true: the sky above was blue perfection, and the afternoon sun turned the trees around them to molten gold. "I've never been up here before, but I remembered you saying something about your friend being a miko here. I thought she might be able to help me find you. Where've you been, Amy?" 

The gentle question bruised her heart, and she turned away from his searching green eyes. "I've been around, just busy. I'm sorry I didn't call you back." 

"I was wondering if you'd gotten my messages." 

She bit her lip, glad he couldn't see her face, and caught a gingko leaf as it glided gently from the tree above. "Yes. I appreciate your concern, but it really was unfounded. I'm sorry to have worried you." 

Her formality irked him. "Gods forbid I show _concern_ for you, Amy," he snapped. "You run out of my apartment like a frightened rabbit, then I don't see or talk to you for three days. What was I to think?" 

"You may think what you like, Zachary. I regret the way I acted the other day." 

"When you ran or when you kissed me, Amy?" he demanded, turning her to face him. "I felt something with that kiss, and I know you did too, or else why would you have run away like that? I like you, Amy, a lot. I don't usually do things like that… kiss women without their express written permission, but sometimes when I'm around you I just lose my head. I didn't mean to scare you, and I still don't, but, damn it, you drive me crazy. Do you understand?" His voice had sunk to nearly a whisper, and the intensity in his emerald eyes left her shaking inside. 

She swallowed hard and scrambled frantically for a suitable reply. "I'm flattered, Zachary, truly I am," she managed at last, "but I'm afraid my feelings for you are purely platonic. I enjoy your company and conversation, and I hope we can continue to be friends in the capacity that we've always been." 

The words stung like icy needles thrust into his skin, and he stepped away abruptly. "I see," he replied shortly. "If that's truly how you feel, Amy-san, then I suppose there's nothing more to say." 

She watched the shutters come down over his expressive green eyes and her heart broke. She wanted to reach out to him, to touch his golden curls and kiss his gentle mouth and tell him that she was a fool, that she loved him, wanted him, needed him. But she couldn't. 

An awkward silence took residence between them, and the music coming from Raye's radio sought to fill it. Amy's lips twisted at the irony of the words, and she met Zachary's eyes with the hope that he would hear in the song what she could never speak aloud. 

_"Once again I just can't get it straight,_   
_Wondering if wandering is my fate._   
_Don't lose hope in me quite yet,_   
_Because help must be on the way any day."_

"I would like to be friends with you, Amy, but… I just don't know if a simple friendship is enough," he said quietly. 

_"From my head to my heart,_   
_Can't seem to find a way._   
_They're so far apart._   
_It's not you,_   
_It's not your fault._   
_You've got everything I could ever want,_   
_And you've always understood my intentions were good._   
_We've been so close from the start,_   
_But the furthest distance I've ever known is from my head to my heart."_

"What are you saying, Zachary? That you're attracted to me? I'm attracted to you as well, you must realize that, but surely we're both mature enough to deal with such a simple matter as physical attraction," she replied, attempting to keep her voice cool and logical. 

_"I feel the distance standing here next to you._   
_Don't wanna keep you waiting,_   
_But I've been waiting too._   
_Someday if I get there,_   
_And you still want me too,_   
_We can see it through."_

"Nothing about this is simple; you know that as well as I do. You also know that there's a hell of a lot more to it than attraction. _That_ I could handle. The fact of the matter is I think I'm falling in love with you." 

_"From my head to my heart,_   
_Can't seem to find a way._   
_They're so far apart._   
_It's not you,_   
_It's not your fault._   
_You've got everything I could ever want,_   
_And you've always understood my intentions were good._   
_We've been so close from the start,_   
_But the furthest distance I've ever known is from my head to my heart."_

"I'm sorry, Zachary… I can't return your feelings. If you truly feel that we can't be friends, then I don't believe I can associate with you any longer. I appreciate your directness in this matter, but I'm not going to change my mind." 

_"The furthest distance I've ever known is from my head to my heart."_

He stared at her for a long time, stunned by how cold she seemed. "Well then," he murmured at last, "I suppose we really do have nothing more to say to one another. Good day, Amy-san." With a polite nod, he turned crisply and hurried away. 

As she watched him go, Amy felt a tear trickle down her cheek. "Goodbye, Zachary," she whispered into the dying sunlight. "I'm sorry." 

_"From my head to my heart,_   
_Can't seem to find a way._   
_They're so far apart._   
_It's not you,_   
_It's not your fault._   
_You've got everything I could ever want,_   
_And you've always understood my intentions were good._   
_We've been so close from the start,_   
_But the furthest distance I've ever known is from my head to my heart._   
_The furthest distance I've ever known is from my head to my heart._   
_The furthest distance I've ever known is from my head to my heart."_

@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-   
"So you mean Lord Zoisite hasn't asked you to the ball yet? What's his problem?!" Minako demanded of her friend as they sat around the lesson room surrounded by books. 

"Nephrite says he's just shy," Makoto volunteered. "I wouldn't give him that much credit, though." 

"What an ass!" Rei cried. "We've all been asked to the ball... even dumb Jadeite asked me this afternoon... so why hasn't Zoisite-san asked you?!" 

"Endymion-san hasn't asked me yet," Serena said softly, silencing them all for a moment or two. 

"It's different with him," Ami said at last, the blush clearing from her cheeks as she looked up to meet her friend's eyes. "There's something strange... Lord Zoisite mentioned something about a curse." The girls   
gasped, except for Rei, who looked highly skeptical. "He said that horrible Earth woman, Beryl, has placed a curse of misfortune on any woman Endymion-sama would take as bride. I don't give it much credence before, but apparently it gives the Terran royal family the fidgets." 

The blond princess frowned deeply, her normally bright, cheerful face turning thoughtful and subdued. "He mentioned none of this to me," she murmured. 

"Perhaps he simply didn't want to worry you," Minako suggested. 

"Or maybe he has no intention of making me his bride. Not that I've really thought of such things, of course," she assured her friends hastily. "But, I thought..." 

"He loves you, Serena-chan," Makoto said gently. "I know he does. He just seems very shy to me. Nephrite says he's very devoted to his family and his planet. As much as he loves you, he doesn't want to do anything to endanger Earth... thus, he wants to make sure your mother is all right with everything before he makes his intentions known." 

"My mother loves him!" 

"You know that, we know that... but men are morons. They can't see what's right in front of their big, stupid eyes," Rei said with an unladylike snort. 

"Bitter, Rei-chan?" Minako teased. "I thought you said Jadeite asked you to the ball. Doesn't that put you in a better mood?" 

She scowled. "I suppose it _should_, except he did it in such a _stupid_ manner. He cornered me at one of the fountains, kissed me half senseless, then took advantage of my flustered state by asking me _then_." 

Minako let out a little sigh. "Sounds heavenly!" 

"Humph. You didn't have to live through it!" She looked away quickly, but none missed the little, delighted smile that passed through her eyes at the memory. 

Fighting back a giggle, Makoto turned back to the Mercurial. "So he's still only asked you for a dance?" 

"A dance, yes. It's plenty, really! I'm not like the rest of you, constantly dreaming of romance. Lord Zoisite and I click on an intellectual level, and because of that we will always remain true friends. If he had asked me to the ball, it would have been awkward and strange, adding a new dimension to our relationship that neither of us wants." The other four girls shared knowing glances as Ami seemed suddenly _very_ absorbed in the book in front of her.   


* * *

Ami smoothed her pale blue and silver gown nervously before entering the ballroom. It was early yet, and none of the Earthlings were there, much less the senshi. Ami was glad of it, as it gave her time to get something cool to soothe her throat and, hopefully, her jitters as well. It felt like an entire host (Flock? School? Whatever.) of butterflies had taken residence inside her stomach. 

The night's liquid refreshment consisted of something terribly pink and bubbly, but despite the atrocious color it was cold, crisp and dry. Downing one glass hastily, she accepted another from a passing waiter and went to search out an inconspicuous location from which to observe the ball without being obliged to accept any invitations to dance -- except from Lord Zoisite, of course. 

The idea of dancing with him, being held in his arms so close to his warmth, made her cheeks go the same color as the drink in her hand. 

"Well, well, Lady Ami, I do believe there is nothing lovelier than a pretty girl in a pretty gown with pretty pink cheeks!" a cheerful voice said, surprising her into nearly spilling her drink. 

She glanced up quickly and found herself staring into the laughing blue eyes of Jadeite. Her blush deepening, she managed a small curtsy. "Lord Jadeite, you startled me! Where is Rei-chan?" 

He grinned widely and shrugged as though the matter troubled him little. "Late, I suspect. What's new, ne? You seem to be the only one of Princess Serenity's lovely guardians who is able to be on time." 

"Oh, they try, really they do! They're just very excited about this ball, that's all." 

"Of course. I didn't mean to distress you. For that, I owe you a dance." 

"A dance?!" She knew by now she must be nearly the color of Rei's fuku. "That surely isn't necessary, Lord Jadeite. You didn't distress me, as you put it, I just don't want you thinking ill of the other senshi." 

He laughed, but then adopted a wounded air. "By refusing, it's _you _who have distressed _me_. And for that, you owe me a dance!" 

Unable to refute his circular form of logic, she found herself laughing and accepting the hand he offered. "Don't you think Rei-chan will be upset with you?" 

"No indeed. I believe, in fact, that she'll quite thank you for taking me off her hands. I'm afraid she's rather often vexed at me." 

"Vexed?" Ami asked, cocking an eyebrow in amusement. "That's one way to put it. She's rather easy to vex, our Rei-chan, but only by those she cares about most." 

"Then she must be utterly _mad_ about me!" 

"Do you doubt it for an instant, Lord Jadeite?" 

The quiet seriousness of her tone gave him a moment's pause, and when it returned his smile was soft. "No more than you doubt the affections of Lord Zoisite, I'm sure. Speaking of vexing... he's a mad fool for asking you to merely save him a dance." 

She opened her mouth to protest, but the music faded away before she could utter a word. "Ah, well, I'm afraid that's my cue," Jadeite said with a smile. "I believe I see Rei-chan with Nephrite over there; she'll need rescuing. It was a delight dancing with you, Lady Mercury. Perhaps we could again before the evening's over?" 

With a shy smile and a nod, she said, "It would be my pleasure, Lord Jadeite." He bowed graciously and disappeared into the crowd, and a moment later the sound of someone clearing his throat behind her caused her to turn. It was Zoisite, and she felt her heart catch at how splendid he looked in his   
silver and green uniform. 

"Ami-chan," he murmured almost reverently, his green eyes glowing with something she couldn't quite identify. He cleared his throat again, though not with the purpose of getting her attention this time. "Ah, Ami-chan... you look beautiful." 

She smiled sweetly, both at the endearment he added to the end of her name and at the compliment. "You look very nice yourself, Zoisite." 

A silence followed, the type of silence that makes two people feel as though they're completely alone despite being surrounded by talking, laughing, jostling people. Ami stared up into his emerald eyes and he stared down into her indigo ones, and they both felt something stirring inside, something neither had ever felt, nor had ever expected to. Abruptly the connection was broken when someone knocked into Ami, pushing her into Zoisite's arms. 

"Oh," she murmured softly, "Gomen… I didn't mean--" 

"It's all right," he said with a smile, not releasing her even when the crowd eased around them. "I can't complain about having a beautiful girl fall into my arms, now can I?" He lowered his head to capture her mouth with his, but she pulled away abruptly. 

Reading his intentions in his eyes, she panicked. "Let's go outside for a walk, shall we? I could use some air." She hurried away without waiting for his answer. 

"Ami-chan!" he called, pushing his way through the crowd and finally catching up with her on the terrace. "Ami-chan, what's wrong?" 

"Nothing!" she replied with forced brightness. "Come, I want to show you something." He followed quickly as he was still a bit unsure of his sense of direction here; the last thing he wanted to do was get lost. They walked side by side in companionable silence, each enjoying the cool night air and the company, though he couldn't help noticing how she refused to look at him even once. At last Ami stopped, and Zoisite gasped at the sight that met his eyes. 

Spread out at his feet was the most beautiful lake he had ever seen. The water glowed with a silver radiance that made the surface as smooth and bright as a polished mirror, and in its depths the full, blue Earth could be seen as a cool reflection. "Wow," he managed at last. 

Ami laughed, fully at ease for the first time all evening. "Indeed. This lake is a very popular spot during the day, but at night it's nearly deserted. I like to come here a lot, especially when the Earth is full. Isn't it glorious?" 

"Breathtaking. Thank you for showing me this, Ami-chan... it's like I'm seeing a piece of your soul." 

She considered these words for a moment before saying, "What do you see, Zoi-chan?" 

He glanced down at her, surprised by the endearment and shortening of his name. With a shake of his head he glanced back out over the water and turned his mind to her quiet, thoughtful question. "The obvious, of course: the water that you love so very much, my little sprite, your element and a symbol of your home planet. But there's more. It's silver, like the Moon, but it also reflects an image of Earth. All three of your... ties, I suppose. So which draws you the most?" 

"I don't know," she replied honestly. "I miss my home, but at the same time I know that the Moon is my home now." 

"And what of Earth?" he asked quietly. 

"Earth is... Earth is complicated." 

"Mmmm. Indeed. It's also the home of the man who loves you." 

He said it so easily, so casually, that she wasn't sure she'd heard him correctly. "Excuse me?" she demanded blankly. 

"You heard me, Ami-chan, and you can't say it's a surprise. I love you, and I spend every night and every day praying to every God I can think of that you will somehow, by some miracle, return even the tiniest portion of that love." 

She took a deep, calming breath. He _loved_ her? How could that be possible? He was so intelligent and witty and beautiful... how could he love someone as little and young and silly as she? "Lord Zoisite," she began hesitantly. 

"Oh, Ami-chan, please don't!" he cried desperately, turning and taking her hands in his. "Don't 'Lord Zoisite' me like we're strangers, like you don't know me from any other man you might meet on the street. I have a gift for you." He pulled something from his pocket but kept it concealed in the palm of his hand. "I had it made on a whim, a foolish hope from a foolish man, but I couldn't resist. I had thoughts of giving it to you as a sign of my _friendship_ and_ affection_ and _fondness_." He said the three words bitterly. "But then I realized you'd simply see right through me, and that I had no choice but to tell you the truth about how I feel. Will you have me, Ami-chan?" he whispered, holding out the ring for her to see. 

She let out a little gasp and took it from him, studying it closely. Instinct told her that it was carved from a single sapphire, the entire band of it, and inscribed along the inside curve, in a clever mixture of the languages of Earth and the Moon, were the words _Check Mate_. "It's gorgeous, Zoisite," she murmured at last, "but I can't in good conscious accept it. I don't return your feelings for me. I'm sorry." 

He stared down at her, stunned, as she offered the ring back to him. "Ami-chan, don't do this." 

"Don't do what? Be honest with you?" she demanded, anger edging her normally mild, sweet voice. 

"You aren't being honest with either of us, Ami-chan, and you know it. I love you, damn it, and I believe that you love me." 

"As a _friend_," she insisted, "nothing more." She opened his palm and pressed the ring into it. "Thank you for the lovely gift, Lord Zoisite, but I simply wouldn't feel right taking it as it would misrepresent my feelings for you. Please speak no more of this matter, because I do hope that we can continue to be friends as we have always been." 

Mouth agape, he watched as she turned and walked away from him without a backwards glance. "Cold as ice," he murmured, shivering. "How can you be so cold, my sweet Ami-chan?" He let out a long sigh and shook his head sadly. "I suppose I'll simply have to be patient and let my love for you melt your heart." He hoped it would be possible, for he didn't feel he could live his life without Ami in it.   
@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@- 

End III 


	4. Heart of Ice 4

Cycle of Our Souls: Heart of Ice   
Part IV 

Raven Moon 

* * *

Notes 'n' such:   
I think you people get by now that I don't own Sailor Moon, so I won't mention it this time. 

I find myself stuck in Silver Millennium mode when trying to write this part. I don't know yet if I'll be able to fit a flashback section in this time, since I just had a nice long one and once I start it'll be way long... and, of course, I'm sure some of you are actually interested in what's going on with Amy and Zachary!! Speaking of, I hope I don't get flames from you Amy fans out there in regards to how she acted towards him (and towards Zoisite, for that matter) in the last section. The title is, after all, heart of _ice_. It wouldn't do to have her acting all warm and cuddly... and we all know how petrified of romance Amy is. :) 

Enough rambling (Isn't that kind of a contradiction in terms? Isn't the point of rambling that there is never enough?). Um. Anyway. On with the story! 

* * *

The phone's insistent ringing woke her from her lovely, silver-tinged dream, and she answered without thinking, without considering the possibility that it might be Zachary until she already had the receiver in her hand. "Moshi moshi," she murmured in a ragged, sleep-filled voice, praying it wasn't he on the other end. 

"Amy, it's Darien. Did I wake you? Of course I did; it's after three. I'm sorry, I know you have school tomorrow, but I had to call you." 

His voice sounded strangely excited, more alive than it had since Serena was taken from them, and Amy was instantly awake and alert. "It's fine, Darien. Tomorrow's Sunday, don't you remember?" 

"Sunday, of course. I forgot. Listen, I think I might know how to help Serena. Do you think we could all meet at the temple in an hour?" 

"I can contact the girls with my communicator. What's up, Darien?" 

"Good. I'll call the guys, as it concerns them as well. I'll tell you all about it at the temple, ok? Just make sure everyone's there." There was a click as he disconnected, leaving her to stare stupidly at the phone in her hand until the obnoxious bleating of the busy signal roused her enough to hang up. 

"Well... I suppose it's never too early to pray," she muttered to herself, yanking open her nightstand drawer and hitting the _all call_ button on her communicator.   


* * *

"Gods be good... there should be some law against getting up this early, don't you think?" Mina said, making no effort to stifle a huge, jaw-popping yawn. 

"Absolutely," Lita agreed, tying her wavy brown hair up in its usual ponytail. "I think evil should only occur between the hours of nine and five. Otherwise it's just unfair... cruel and unusual punishment and all that." 

"Since when has evil confined itself to the rules of fairness?" Jay Dalinger, Raye's boyfriend, asked as he sipped the tea the miko had made. 

"What's got Darien all fired up, anyway? He wouldn't tell me a damn thing," Malachy Levinworth complained as he stepped into the circle and offered Mina a warm kiss. "I was right in the middle of something, too." 

"At three in the morning?" Neil Forrester demanded. "Lita's right: it should be criminal. I look at the stars for a living, yet I manage to be asleep at three in the morning!" He collapsed dramatically onto a nearby futon and closed his eyes. 

"Complain, complain, _complain_," a new voice said. "What's the matter with all of you? This about Serena, remember?" Those already present shared a series of sheepish glances as Amy and Darien joined them in the temple's main room. The small blue-haired girl glared at each in turn before accepting a teacup from Raye and knocking Neil's feet off the futon so she could sit. 

"Amy's right, though I don't blame any of you for being grumpy. I trust you all know I wouldn't have dragged you from your beds at this hour if it wasn't important," Darien said quietly, his blue eyes glowing with compassion as he smiled at his friends. 

"It's all right, Darien," Luna spoke up. "We're just all wondering what you've discovered. Have you figured out a way to help Serena?" 

"At this point merely knowing what's _wrong_ with her would be some comfort," Artemis mumbled. 

"We know what's _wrong_, Artemis, just not what caused it," Raye corrected quietly. She was busy running back and forth from the kitchen, making coffee and tea for everyone, as well as digging up some cookies to boost morale. 

"I think I might be able to answer both Luna and Raye's questions," Darien announced with a smile. "I had a dream, you see." 

"A dream?" Neil asked skeptically. 

"Don't doubt the power of dreams. If not for them, none of us would have remembered meeting all of you during the Silver Millennium," Lita told him with an elbow to his stomach. 

"Go on, Darien," Amy said softly. 

"I dreamt of those last days of the Silver Millennium, of all of us on the Moon." He smiled briefly, a sad, wistful expression that broke their hearts, but abruptly the expression changed to a deep frown of pain and regret. "I also dreamt of Earth just after our _return_ from the Moon. I dreamt of Beryl and my parents... Gods, it was terrible." 

Raye rested a gentle hand on his arm, her pretty face full of compassion. "We all remember the final battle of the Moon, and if what happened on Earth was anything like that..." She trailed off with a shake of her head, and he smiled weakly. 

He moved his hand to cover hers and said, "The dream was trying to tell me something, minna. In it, I saw the ten of us together -- Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion, Sailor Mars and Jadeite, Sailor Venus and Malachite, Sailor Jupiter and Nephrite, and Sailor Mercury and Zoisite. Beryl appeared and ripped us apart, the men with her, the women opposing... but then she was gone, and gradually the two groups began to drift together again." 

"So you're saying the relationships must be restored? All of us as couples, like we were back then?" Lita asked with a frown. 

"Isn't that what we said all along? I mean, way back when this happened, didn't we decide we needed to find the other two generals in order to help Serena?" Artemis demanded, not forgetting that it had been his notion in the first place. 

"But _why_? The senshi and the generals were together back then, yet Beryl managed to brainwash them into joining her and destroy the Silver Millennium and Golden Kingdom. Why would bringing us all back together again be the key to helping Serena when it didn't help anything the first time?" Mina wanted to know. 

"Maybe we _weren't_ all together the first time," Raye suggested. 

"But I distinctly remember--" 

"_Your_ experience," the miko interrupted gently. "As I remember mine with Jadeite and Lita hers with Nephrite. The six of us were together, but..." She glanced at Amy, who was doing her damnedest to disappear into the futon. "But we don't know about Sailor Mercury and Zoisite, now do we?" 

Gradually nine pairs of eyes -- two sets feline and unblinking -- turned to stare at the blue-haired girl. "Nani!?" she demanded desperately. "I haven't had the dreams!" she lied. "I don't know anything about what happened back then, and I haven't met anyone who could possibly be Zoisite." It wasn't true, of course, but she absolutely refused to believe what the more logical part of her mind was telling her: Zachary Sorenson could not be Zoisite, no way, no how. 

"Amy--" Darien began gently. 

"Nai!" she cried, jumping up from the futon and startling them all. "I will not be manipulated. I want to help Serena as much as you do, but my life is my life. You're wrong about this, Darien: the eight of us being couples has nothing at all to do with what's happened to Serena. I'm going home." And, before any of them could get over their surprise and utter a word of protest, she was gone.   


* * *

There was no point in trying to go back to sleep, Amy knew that well enough. It was nearly five in the morning, dawn had yet to lighten the sky, and she was as wide-awake as she had ever been. She walked quickly, her steps fueled by her fury and other emotions she refused to accept. Anger was easy, though; anger could be dealt with and used as a defense. Any of the other feelings swirling through her did nothing but weaken, and the last thing she could afford to be was weak. 

She refused, utterly and completely refused, to be pushed into a relationship with Zachary Sorenson just because he might be Zoisite. The Zoisite she remembered most clearly was her enemy, a man she had loathed with all her being, a man who had been in love with someone else. 

_Now you're just making excuses, Amy,_ that annoying little voice whispered. Malachy claimed to love no one but Mina, and Amy believed him... but where was the guarantee that Zoisite would feel the same way? She let out a frustrated sigh and sent a rock skittering across the sidewalk. These same doubts must have plagued Mina and Lita, too, over Nephrite's feelings for Molly, and yet they had overcome them, had somehow learned to have enough confidence in their partners that they didn't have to worry about anyone coming between them. 

Amy wondered if she'd ever have that much confidence in _anything_. Zachary was a good man, smart and funny and beautiful, and she just couldn't get over the idea that his supposed love for her was merely a brief infatuation. Surely he would realize how totally unworthy of him she was, and then he would drop her flat on her butt. It wasn't something she wanted to deal with, so she cut him off at the pass, ruthlessly stamping down her own feelings in an attempt to appear cold and impenetrable. 

The memory of her latest Silver Millennium dream surfaced despite her best efforts to keep it away. Her past self had done the same thing to Zoisite... and perhaps that is what caused Serena to suffer now. But no! If there were some sort of curse, wouldn't it have taken effect immediately upon Raye and Jay meeting and falling in love? 

Unless... damn it! What was the point in worrying about some stupid, ancient curse? She, Amy Anderson, had no way of knowing its rules and stipulations, and she certainly wasn't going to figure them out any time soon. Besides, she didn't believe in curses. Nor did she believe in fate... and so therefore it was not her fate to end up with Zoisite. She could be with anyone she pleased, no matter what her past self had chosen... or not chosen, as the case had actually been. 

*******************************   
And so I continued trying to convince myself of what seemed the most convenient. Love isn't easy, no one ever said it would be, and I in my innocence assumed that it _should_ be. I loved him, of course, loved him as I had never thought myself capable of loving, but just as I had done so many years before, I denied that love and pushed it away. I thought I was doing right. I thought I was doing the easiest thing because I didn't understand that it was _supposed_ to be scary and painful and life altering. I wanted a gentle, easy slide: what I got was an all-out assault. 

But lessons like that only come with time and experience. Gods, who knew I could be so full of clichés? Among other things... 

Of course, none of us _had_ time, least of all Serena. My selfishness and cowardice was killing my dearest friend and I couldn't open my eyes long enough to even see that much. I don't know if it would've done any good if I could have; I simply wouldn't allow myself to conform to what I saw as my obligation. 

It's a terrible thing when a bright, healthy young girl sees being with the man she loves as an obligation. No one ever said I had any sense, now did they? Thank the Gods for clearer thinking minds than mine.   
******************************* 

"Shimatta! Can't a body get a moment's sleep around here without someone banging on the door or calling on the phone?!" Amy snarled, blinking at the glowing red numbers on her clock: nine-thirty. She'd been sleeping for the last two hours, and it hadn't been nearly enough, and now what sounded like a battering ram against her front door had woken her. Dragging herself out of bed with a long-suffering sigh, she put on a robe and went to answer it. "Will you _wait_ a minute?" she cried over the din. "I'm coming!" 

She opened the door and would've slammed it shut again just as quickly if the man standing there hadn't inserted his booted foot into the gap. "I can't let you go. I _won't_ let you go," he said, his green eyes steady and unnerving as they stared into her befuddled, angry blue ones. 

"Zachary, please, I thought I made it clear--" 

"You made nothing clear, Amy, except that you refuse to acknowledge your feelings for me. Don't do this, don't turn away! I know you love me, and I love you... and I won't... I won't let you put this off until it's too late." 

"Too late? What does that mean?" she demanded sharply. 

"I don't know, I just have a feeling... Amy, this is meant to be, you and me! Don't you sense it too? I only met you a few days ago, but I feel like I've known you forever. I had dreams about you before we met, have I ever told you that? That's why I was so surprised the night you appeared on my doorstep. Amy, I _need_ you, it makes my head spin how much. You can't tell me you feel nothing." 

"I--" she began, only to have her words cut off by his kiss, urgent and demanding. 

When it broke, he slipped something into her hand with a smile. "I had this made for you, Amy. It's carved from a single sapphire, but I can't tell you what it says inside because I don't know. I saw that in a dream, too. Isn't it a trip? Before I met you I never paid attention to my dreams, never saw them as anything other than tricks of the mind. You've proved me wrong, Amy, because you're the one I've dreamed of forever, the only one I've ever wanted." 

She stared down at the little blue ring and ignored the tears that blurred her vision. The world was reduced to the contents of her palm. It was more than a ring, of course: it was an affirmation. Zachary Sorenson was Zoisite reborn, and all the denials she'd made to herself since first setting eyes on him crumbled into dust. "Oh Gods," she whispered, stunned. 

"Is that a good 'Oh Gods' or a bad one?" he asked, not understanding the fear and pain that suddenly swept over her pretty features. 

She couldn't hear him over the roaring in her ears. It was too much... too much all at once... she just wasn't built to handle such things, and so she did the only thing she could think to do. 

Amy slammed the door in Zachary's stunned face and ran through the apartment, back to her room and the warm safety of her bed. 

@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-   
"What do you mean we're leaving _now_?! What about--" 

"I know we all have... interests here, Zoi-kun, but we have no choice," Malachite interrupted the younger man. "I don't like the idea of leaving any more than you do, but Earth needs us. Our first responsibility is there, after all." 

"What of our negotiations with the Moon?" Jadeite wanted to know. 

"Queen Serenity understands the urgency. Beryl is burning her way east towards Elision. We have no choice but to return; she must be stopped before she reaches the capital." 

"And what of Endymion-sama?" Zoisite asked. "What does he think of all of this?" Leaving?! That wouldn't do at all!! How would he have time to convince Ami... but no, maybe it was for the best. Perhaps in his absence she would realize how much she loved him. Suddenly he grinned. "I guess he agrees, ne? If Beryl is truly causing as much trouble as you say, Mal-sama, then I suppose we must go." 

The other three stared at him in surprise. "Did things not go well with your Lady Ami last night, Zoi-kun?" Jadeite asked. "When I danced with her, she seemed very taken with you... though I can't for the life of me imagine why." 

"I don't wish to discuss Lady Ami," he said icily. "What went on between she and I last night is none of your concern." 

"Calm down, Zoi-kun; Jade didn't mean any harm by it. And I agree with you: the sooner we go, the sooner we can return, right?!" Nephrite asked with an uncharacteristic grin for his colleague. 

"I suppose you're right, Neph... but that doesn't make the leaving any easier. Rei-chan'll have my head," Jadeite groaned. 

"Now that I'll have to see," Malachite said with a smile. "But, regardless of how difficult it will be to leave the senshi, leave we must... and today. Be ready to depart in an hour."   


* * *

Zoisite had toyed with the idea of going to see Ami, but in the end had settled for writing her a note explaining the situation. He'd slipped it under her door, adding the ring he'd presented her with last night despite what better judgment advised. "To Tartarus with better judgment," he muttered on his way back down the hall. 

He turned a corner, still brooding, and was nearly bowled over by the prince. "Oh! Endymion-sama, forgive me!" he said quickly. 

"No worries, Zoi-kun. Are you all right?" he asked, steadying the young general with a hand on his arm. 

"Yes, fine... I guess I wasn't paying attention to where I was going." 

"Neither was I, truth be told," Endymion said with a rueful grimace. "That seems to be a common thread among us Earthlings these days." 

"They say, if I may be so bold, that love does that to a man," Zoisite offered hesitantly. 

The dark-haired man threw back his head and laugh. "Truly told, my friend. I hear it's Princess Ami who has you befuddled. Is all well?" 

"No," he answered shortly before he could stop himself. Then, mouth agape with horror, he looked up at his prince. "Forgive me. You surely have no patience with my problems, all things considered. How fairs Princess Serenity?" 

"You mean how goes our relationship?" he asked bluntly. 

"I would never presume--" 

"Don't worry, Zoi-kun... you're perhaps the only one of the four I could trust with such things. Malachite is worried over Beryl, Nephrite would simply mutter something about the stars, and Jadeite is so damn flippant sometimes... though he does mean well." He let out a long sigh and ran his hand through short, disheveled black hair. "I love her, Zoisite. I can't help it... she just _draws_ me. I don't believe I'll ever love anyone as I love her. And yet I know she can't be mine." 

The frank admission startled him, and he struggled to find an appropriate reply. "Surely it would be good for relationships between our two planets if you were to wed." 

"Aye, until Beryl got a hold of her. Then what would we do?" 

"Isn't the reason we're leaving to take care of Beryl?" 

The prince shrugged restlessly and paced away. "I mean the prophecy." 

"The curse?!" he demanded, shocked. Surely the prince didn't put any stock in the jealous raving of a mad woman! 

He frowned. "Curse? That's what it's been reduced to? No, my friend, this is no curse... it's a prophecy, well and true. It says that any alliance made between the Earth and the Moon will result in disaster. At least, that's the short of it." 

Zoisite answered Endymion's frown with one of his own. "Do you know the exact wording? This type of thing generally has some sort of loophole, you know." 

"Mmmm," he murmured, thinking. "It goes something like... 'When love unites the Earth to the Moon with bonds of eternity, the Moon's light will flicker and dim unless the light of their love times five can rekindle the glow and complete the cycle' or some such nonsense. It doesn't make much sense, does it?" 

"Times five? Two times five is ten." 

"As I remember well from arithmetic class as a child. Your point is?" 

Zoisite made an impatient gesture and tugged at a curl that had come loose from its ponytail. "There are four of them and four of us, making eight... plus the two of you is ten. Perhaps that's what the prophecy means." 

"So if the four of you marry the four senshi, then it's all right for me to marry Serenity?" he asked, a current of skepticism flowing through his voice. 

"I... I don't know," he said, suddenly unsure of himself. "Perhaps. That, of course, means that the four of them would have to be in love with the four of us." 

"And you're having problems in that area?" he guessed. 

"I should go talk to her. Maybe if she knew--" 

"Zoisite, I admit I'm no expert in the area, but I don't think telling a woman that she must marry you simply to fulfill an ancient prophecy is exactly the way to sweep her off her feet." 

"What else am I to do? I told her I love her, and she turned away from me. She said she wanted to be _friends_," he cried. 

"Itai," the prince agreed with a sympathetic wince. "All I can say is wait. We're leaving for Earth in a bit; absence makes the heart grow fonder, they say." 

He smiled ruefully. "That's what I was thinking. It's desperate, I know, but it's my only hope at this point." 

Endymion grinned and threw an arm around the smaller man's shoulders. "Mine as well, Zoi-kun, so let's hope it works!" 

Zoisite managed a sickly grin and allowed the prince to lead him away.   


* * *

_This is pleasant,_ Zoisite thought sarcastically, peering around the small, dank space he suddenly found himself in. He remembered the teleport, the brief conversation among the generals, and then the sudden appearance of that hideous woman. The woman, he knew, had been Beryl... but how had he gone from _there_ to _here_? She had asked them to join her, and all had very rightly refused... had she sent him to some sort of holding cell until he changed his mind? 

"Stupid woman!" he cried aloud. "I'll never betray Endymion-sama. He's not only my liege, but my friend as well." 

A laugh rippled through the air. "Do you think that bothers us?" a taunting voice said. "We have no need of you. Your brothers-in-arms have already turned to our side; you're superfluous at this point." 

"What are you talking about? The others wouldn't betray him, either!" He ignored the rest of it, the idea that he wasn't needed. 

"Wouldn't they? Look here, little one." A picture flickered to life on the wall in front of him, and he watched as Malachite, Nephrite and Jadeite all kneeled before Beryl. "You see? We have three. Why do we need four?" 

The scene changed, became one of Ami and the other senshi. "He actually thought I _loved_ him! Can you believe that? Why would I love _him_ of all people!?" she asked her friends with a cruel laugh. "He's just such a fool!" 

"Nai! Ami-chan... this can't be real! She would never say such mean things." 

"Wouldn't she? She broke your heart last night, Zoisite. Don't you think there's a reason for it? She betrayed you, and so have the other three. I'll never betray you, Zoisite, and neither will Empress Metallia." The voice became low, seductive, and it sickened him. 

"I thought you said you had no need of me," he managed to choke out. 

"We do not. It was merely an offer. You're useless, Zoisite; an after thought. The princess Ami only looked to you because her fellow senshi had snatched up the other three, just as we now have." 

"That's not true!" he cried, but he doubted the words even as they tumbled from his lips. She had turned away from him, crushed him. The others had turned to Beryl... what if...? No! "I'll never join you! NEVER!" 

The laugh came again, this time calm and confident. "You just keep repeating that, little one: maybe one day you'll believe it."   


* * *

Ami hated fighting, always had and always would. She hated the pain and the blood and... and... everything. Why in the world would anyone actually _volunteer_ to be a soldier? It made no sense to her; she only did it because it was her duty, and because she truly loved the Silver Millennium and the ideas it represented. 

Now she found herself right in the middle of the biggest battle she had ever seen. Instead of mortals, youma were their enemy, and somehow that made it easier. A monster was a monster, a creature created to do nothing but kill and terrorize. She froze another one in a block of ice and tried to ignore the thrill of satisfaction that accompanied the action. 

Just as she turned away from the frozen youma, a cry rose among the enemy and they fell back. Confusion creased her brow and she hurried to join her fellow senshi. "Why did they just stop like that? Have we won?" she demanded, shocked that it had been so easy... relatively speaking, of course. 

"I don't think so," Makoto whispered, pointing, "look!" 

Ami followed her friend's arm and felt her mind go numb at the sight that met her eyes. It was the shitennou, only their uniforms were wrong: instead of glowing silver, they were a dull, lifeless gray. Their faces were blank, displaying no emotions other than cruelty, and Zoisite's green eyes glowed with malevolent glee as Malachite announced their intention to destroy the senshi in the name of the Negaverse. 

"Gods, no," she murmured. "Zoisite, what is this?" 

"It's fate, my little senshi. Don't you understand? Beryl offered more than anyone, so we're hers now, hers and Empress Metallia's." 

"Then I guess I have no choice." She sent a freezing blast in his direction, but he dodged it and shot a vicious-looking ice shard at her. It entered just below the ribs, and she fell back with a grunt. 

"I'm surprised at you, Sailor Mercury. I would have thought a senshi of Princess Serenity's guard would be stronger." He stepped forward and grabbed the shard, pulling it from her body only to plunge it in again. 

She grabbed his hands, twisting them so that the frozen blade pointed towards him. "I'm stronger than you think, Zoisite," she hissed, shoving it into his chest with all her might. 

He fell, taking her with him, and as the evil began to clear from his eyes he caught sight of something shining through the blood that covered her hand. "You're wearing it. You're wearing the ring," he managed. 

"Hai. You left it for me... since then I've always worn it. I've always loved you. I'm just sorry..." Her voice faltered as death closed in. "I'm sorry it took me so long to realize it." 

He smiled suddenly, a smile tinged with bitterness at life's ironies. "The cycle is complete... but too late," he whispered. She didn't respond, and he realized that she was already dead... everyone was already dead. With one last sigh, Zoisite joined them.   
@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@- 

End IV 

* * *

I don't know how many of you have seen _The English Patient_, but it's a personal favorite of mine. The very end, the exchange about the ring, is almost a word-for-word quote from the movie. In the film, they're talking about a thimble he bought her ages ago, and he notices it on a thong around her neck as he's carrying her away from a plane crash. He says, "You're wearing the thimble." To which she replies, "Of course. I always wear it. I've always worn it. You idiot, I've always loved you." sigh!> It gets me every time. :) 


	5. Heart of Ice 5

Cycle of Our Souls: Heart of Ice  
Part V

Moon Raven

* * *

Scriber notae amo! Vide:  
Just a little Latin to get you started off right. Of course, I don't know the word for "notes" in Latin, so I just used a feminine form of the English word. And I think I used the wrong declension. Oh well, I'm sure Lyle'll let me know if I did it wrong. :) Anyway... 

The song lyrics are, of course, by Shawn Mullins. I recently introduced my friends Marc and Vanessa to the beauty of his music, and they're both hooked. You should be too! _Eggshells_ is the best, but his new greatest hits collection, _The First Ten Years_, gives a nice overview of his stuff.

Again, for you uninitiated folks, this is the LAST chapter in the "Cycle of Our Souls" series. The order is "Cycle of Our Souls: Heart's Fire," "Heart's Love," and "Heart's Thunder." Go read those if you like this one!

* * *

"There are two of us,  
There are two of us -  
It's the cycle of our souls.  
Yet we try and change and rearrange the way the story goes.  
That's the way the story goes."  
-from "Cycle of Our Souls" by Shawn Mullins

* * *

"Oh, Gods," she whispered dully, staring blind-eyed at the wall. "Oh, Gods, what have I _done_?" How could she have been such a fool? Zachary was Zoisite, and without Zoisite's help, Serena would die... and perhaps the rest of them as well. Look what had happened last time she'd turned away from him, blinded by her own fear! Jumping up from the bed, she threw on some clothes and rushed from her apartment. 

He wasn't home. She knocked and knocked and knocked, but to no avail. Where could he have gone? They didn't know any of the same people, didn't hang out at any of the same places... how was she going to find one man among the millions of people in Tokyo? With a heart-broken sigh, she sank down at his door and sobbed.

It was her fault, her own stubbornness and cowardice that had caused this in the first place. And it had been her fault back then, too. Was it because of the prophecy or curse or whatever it was that the Moon Kingdom had been destroyed? If she had overcome her fear and admitted to Zoisite how she felt, would it have made any difference? Why did she have to treat him so coldly, then and now?

Her head ached abominably, and she knew she had to talk about all of this with someone. The first person who popped into her head was Raye - for all her temper, she was generally level headed and, after all, a miko. Rubbing at her wet eyes, Amy rose on shaky legs and headed for the elevator.

* * *

Surprisingly enough, Raye wasn't out sweeping the temple steps. It was her favorite chore, Amy knew, especially in the morning when the early sun made everything look so new and fresh. Wading through a small pile of brown, crackly gingko leaves, she stopped to say a little prayer and ring the bell before entering the temple. 

She wasn't sure what surprised her the most - the sight of Zachary Sorenson kneeling before Raye's sacred fire, the fact that Raye had left him there alone, or the fact that he was half naked. She stopped, eyes wide, and stared at his bent back for a long time. The silence was heavy, and he leaned so close to the fire that at times she was afraid he'd go tumbling right in.

"I know you're there," he said at last, startling her anew. "I can hear you breathing. What is it now? There are no proper doors to slam here; perhaps you'd prefer to throw a few rocks instead?"

She bowed her head. "I deserve that, I suppose. I came here to talk to Raye, but I was looking for you earlier. I wanted to apologize."

"Apologize? I'd say you've already done enough of that, Anderson-san. Do you think a simple 'I'm sorry' will heal the hole you've created in my heart?"

"Nai," she said softly. "I know you probably never want to see me again, and I can't say that I blame you, but I want you to know that I was wrong." The muscles in his smooth, slender back tensed, and she longed to run a hand along his skin to soothe him.

"Wrong about what?" he asked in a small voice.

"Wrong about _everything_, Zachary. I was wrong when I ran away from that kiss, I was wrong when I told you I only wanted to be friends, and most of all I was wrong when I slammed the door in your face this morning. The ring... the ring scared me most of all."

"I could see that. I thought kissing you nearly gave you a heart attack -- that was nothing. I didn't mean to push you, Amy."

"It's not your fault!" she said hurriedly, kneeling down beside him and resting a small, pale hand on his bare back. "It's mine, totally mine. That ring just reminded me of... of something someone gave me a long time ago."

His bright green eyes suddenly went wide and he lost his balance, falling away from the fire and landing on his rear. "You dreamt it too, didn't you? The ball and the lake... did you dream the battle, too?"

"I dreamed it all, Zachary. Do you know what it means?"

He ran a hand through his loose golden curls and shook his head slowly. "Only that you and I knew each other once before. I know it's true; the dreams are too real to be mere specters of my subconscious."

She nodded slowly. "You're right about that much at least. I suppose if you remember the battle, then you remember..." She let out a long sigh. "I guess you remember the betrayal."

He looked away, unable to meet her eyes. "I had hoped that part was inaccurate."

"No," she whispered, "it's true. You've never met my friend Darien, have you? But you have seen Serena... she's his girlfriend and--"

"The princess! The princess from my dream is your friend Serena?"

"Yes... and also Sailor Moon. My friends and I are the sailor senshi, Zachary, just as we were back in the Silver Millennium. Darien is Tuxedo Mask, as well as Prince Endymion reincarnated." She said it slowly, hoping to give him some time to digest this strange information.

He buried his face in his palms for a moment before saying, voice muffled, "I take it you're Sailor Mercury. That figures." He looked up with a small, weary smile. "It suits you; I always said you were like a little water sprite."

"You're taking this better than I thought," she said after a small silence.

Zachary shrugged and rose to pace. "I've had the dreams, Amy, have been having them for months now. I'd like to meet your friends... and the other generals, too."

"They'll accept you. We all understand that you were forced over to Beryl's side."

He suddenly went very still. "Forced. Yes. Though some might say 'coerced'."

"Not I, and not any of the rest of us either!" Amy said forcefully, jumping to her feet in protest.

"Pretty words, Amy, but are they really true?"

"Yes! Ask any of the girls. Ask Darien! The other three are trusted allies now, and you will be as well." She looked away from his penetrating gaze and fiddled with the zipper pull on her light jacket.

"Something else worries you," he said quietly, moving a step closer.

She glanced up sharply, then away, then back again. "I love you, Zachary," she said at last, her voice so soft he barely heard.

Once the words registered, he found himself laughing. "Is that all, Amy my dear? You're worried over loving me? Don't ever worry about that, love, because I'll spend the rest of my life loving you."

"That's not all, Zach... what of Malachite?"

"Malachite? What does Malachite have to do with-" He broke off abruptly and his face went pale. "Oh, Gods, Amy, no wonder you look scared to death! I had forgotten, forgotten completely..." He trailed off with a long sigh and took her hands in his. "Amy, I love you. I can tell you that a thousand times and it won't make a bit of difference. You're just going to have to trust that you are the only one I have ever loved like this, ever _will_ love like this. Malachite was, was... a port in the storm. We were both alone and lonely and surrounded by such _darkness _that we reached out to the only thing we could - each other. I cared for him deeply, and he cared for me, but I love _you_."

She looked up into his pleading green eyes and knew he was telling the truth. _This,_ she thought with a contented sigh as their lips met, _is truly meant to be. Why did I fight it so long?_ Before the erstwhile constant inner voice could answer, a small sound interrupted them.

"Took you damn long enough," a voice said, accompanied by the sound of a muffled giggle. "I thought we might all die of old age in the time it took you two to make up your minds!"

Amy pulled away hastily and turned to face the speaker. Filling the doorway stood her friends, all of them minus Serena, and it was Raye who stood at the front of the small group, arms crossed over her chest, face trying to maintain stern lines even as she dissolved into an impish grin.

Darien elbowed past her and offered his hand to Zachary, who took it with a blush. "It's good to meet you. I'm Darien Chiba, Tuxedo Mask and Prince Endymion all rolled into one. Shall I introduce you to everyone?" At the smaller man's wordless nod, he continued. "The dark-haired miko is Raye Hino, Sailor Mars, and with her is Jay Dalinger, Jadeite. The brunette is Lita Kino, Sailor Jupiter, and her companion is Neil Forrester, Nephrite. The little blond is Mina Aino, Sailor Venus, and the tall chap with her is Malachy Levinworth, or Malachite. The cats are Luna and Artemis. You've met Serena, I suppose, and I'm sure Amy has told you about her."

"Not everything," he said at length. "What, truly, is wrong with her? Is it the prophecy come true?"

"You know of the prophecy?" Raye asked breathlessly, stepping forward and taking his arm.

"I dreamt it. If what it says is true, then the spell should be broken now, shouldn't it? I mean, we're all together now. What else is there to do?"

Amy touched his shoulder gently, and he glanced down at her with a slightly distracted smile. "The ring," she said softly, holding out her hand. "The prophecy mentions something about 'completing the cycle,' doesn't it?"

Jay's mouth twitched at the corners. "How very literal of it," he remarked drolly, earning himself a glare from Raye that shut him up immediately.

Zachary didn't seem to hear him, and it was suddenly like the rest of the world had fallen away, leaving only the two of them standing alone, together. With a soft smile, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the shining blue band. "I had thought to throw it into the fire." He slid it onto her finger, and their shining eyes met above their joined hands. "I love you, Amy, and now the entire world knows it."

She laughed brightly, color staining her smooth white cheeks. "I love you too, Zachary, and I'm not afraid anymore." As their lips met again, a great shrieking began somewhere far in the distance, and the entire temple seemed to quake.

"Get into a doorway!" Lita cried unnecessarily - it was Japan, after all, and earthquakes were fairly common. Before anyone could move, however, the shaking stopped, and the shrieking grew louder.

"What is that?" someone called over the din.

Suddenly everything went so still that they all wondered if they'd been struck deaf. Each girl was clinging unashamedly to the hand of her beloved, and it took Darien a minute to realize that someone was clinging to his hand, too. Eyes wide, he stared down at the small, peaceful form of Serena. She looked up at him with a wide, happy smile. "Hi, muffin. I'm hungry; wanna go get some food?"

He looked like he was about to faint, and Malachy rushed quickly to his side. "Serena?" he managed, squeezing her hand so hard she let out a yelp.

"Yes, _ow_! Don't squeeze so hard! What's the matter with you? And who are all these hot guys? Hi, Jay! Are these friends of yours?"

"I don't think she remembers a thing," Mina said, her voice soft with wonder.

"Remember what? Why are all of you staring at me like that? Do I have something on my shirt?" She stared down at her clothing, inspecting everything, before her face went slightly pink. "Hmm. I seem to be in my pajamas. Were we having a sleepover?"

"Um, sort of," Lita said, taking her friend by the arm and steering her to a nearby chair. With that, she began to explain the events of the past few months, starting with Raye and Jay and ending with the strange shriek they'd heard only moments before.

The little blond sat back in her chair with a long, deep sigh, and suddenly the look on her pretty face became that of someone much older than her fifteen years. "Well. If this curse, or prophecy, is intended to effect Darien and I, why didn't it start working the moment he and I got together?"

"We were all kind of wondering that, too," Mina said, plunking down on the floor and dragging Malachy with her. "Maybe it has to be more than just the prince and the princess -- maybe it had to be the start of all of us coming together."

"All right, then," Serena continued, "why didn't it happen when Raye and Jay first met?"

"This prophecy was made millennia ago, Serena. Perhaps the lapse of time made it lose some of its power. When it became evident that Mina and Malachy were falling in love, and that Raye and Jay already had, it was finally able to take effect."

They all sat in silence, pondering Amy's quiet suggestion, until Neil spoke up. "So the question, at least in my mind, is whether Beryl recruited the four of us in order to merely help her cause, or because she wanted to ensure that the cycle would never be complete."

"Regardless of her reasons, she was damn successful at it, which makes me wonder if it couldn't happen again... or if it could happen to the senshi, as well," Zachary said, his voice tight.

"But all of you regained yourselves at the end," Raye insisted.

"At the end, yes... when it was too late," Zachary countered.

"No," Serena said forcefully, startling them all. "It wasn't too late. The cycle was completed as each of you died, thus saving us from the prophecy. What would have happened had it been fulfilled with the Moon Kingdom in such a weakened state? Would Queen Serenity still have sent us to the future? If she had, would I have been reborn? Who knows what would have occurred. That it happened here, now, when the eight of you were in a position to stop it is for the best. And now, after all," she said, her voice suddenly returning to its normally bright, merry tones, "the cycle is complete, and the ten of us will face the future together. What could be better than that?"

Chaos ensued, everyone chattering and laughing all at once, but Zachary managed to grab Amy's hand and pull her into a fairly secluded corner. "What could be better?" he murmured into her hair, running his fingers through its thick silkiness.

"I can't imagine a thing," she answered with a soft, loving laugh, feeling for the first time in her life a sense of true and abiding peace.

And for once, it seemed, the two souls contained within each young woman and the man she loved found contentment, and melted together to become one, and the cycle, as Serena had said, was at last complete.

End V

* * *

That's it, the end of "Cycle of Our Souls!" Hope you enjoyed it! Please review me! 


End file.
